Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in postmortem lung, kidney, and liver samples, revealing cellular targets involved in COVID-19 pathogenesis.

There is an urgent need to understand severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-host interactions involved in virus spread and pathogenesis, which might contribute to the identification of new therapeutic targets. In this study, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in postmortem lung, kidney, and liver samples of patients who died with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its relationship with host factors involved in virus spread and pathogenesis, using microscopy-based methods. The cases analyzed showed advanced stages of diffuse acute alveolar damage and fibrosis. We identified the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (NC) in a variety of cells, colocalizing with mitochondrial proteins, lipid droplets (LDs), and key host proteins that have been implicated in inflammation, tissue repair, and the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle (vimentin, NLRP3, fibronectin, LC3B, DDX3X, and PPARγ), pointing to vimentin and LDs as platforms involved not only in the viral life cycle but also in inflammation and pathogenesis. SARS-CoV-2 isolated from a patient´s nasal swab was grown in cell culture and used to infect hamsters. Target cells identified in human tissue samples included lung epithelial and endothelial cells; lipogenic fibroblast-like cells (FLCs) showing features of lipofibroblasts such as activated PPARγ signaling and LDs; lung FLCs expressing fibronectin and vimentin and macrophages, both with evidence of NLRP3- and IL1ß-induced responses; regulatory cells expressing immune-checkpoint proteins involved in lung repair responses and contributing to inflammatory responses in the lung; CD34+ liver endothelial cells and hepatocytes expressing vimentin; renal interstitial cells; and the juxtaglomerular apparatus. This suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may directly interfere with critical lung, renal, and liver functions involved in COVID-19-pathogenesis.

Polyserositis as a Post-Covid-19 Complication.

INTRODUCTION: Polyserositis is described as inflammation with effusion of more than one serous membrane. There is very little published literature linking it to COVID-19 as a late complication. OBJECTIVE: Present and describe a case of post-COVID-19 polyserositis. METHODS: Data were collected from the medical record of a female patient admitted for fainting spells and marked weakness. The patient underwent a clinical evaluation, additional hematology, imaging and histopathology tests, and a surgical procedure. The new index, called the abdominal adipose deposit index, was obtained by multiplying the subcutaneous fat thickness by visceral fat thickness, both measured by ultrasound. A cutoff point was established that facilitated discernment of an unhealthy phenotype: normal weight but metabolically obese, a cardiometabolic risk factor. RESULTS: We present the case of a 57-year-old female patient admitted to hospital for fainting spells and marked weakness, four months after COVID-19 infection. She also had a history of obesity, asthma, type 2 diabetes mellitus and a cholecystectomy in December 1992 for gallstones. Clinical assessment revealed pericardial effusion and bilateral pleural effusion, in addition to a tumor-like lesion outside the pericardium, proximal to the right ventricular wall. A surgical procedure and findings from additional tests led to diagnoses of thymic remnants and polyserositis. CONCLUSIONS: This is a case of polyserositis in a post-COVID-19 patient. After other causes of polyserositis were ruled out, and since there is a likely physiological and pathogenic mechanism operating between the two diseases, the polyserositis was determined to be a late complication of COVID-19. To date, it is the second case reported in the world and the first reported in Cuba.

Manifestaciones cardiovasculares de la cirrosis hepática según su gravedad evaluada por la clasificación de Child-Pugh / Cardiovascular manifestations of liver cirrhosis according to its severity evaluated through the Child-Pugh score

RESUMEN Introducción: La miocardiopatía cirrótica es una disfunción cardíaca que está presente en pacientes con cirrosis hepática, en ausencia de otra enfermedad cardíaca. Objetivos: Describir los hallazgos electrocardiográficos, ecocardiográficos y el estado de la oxigenación arterial en pacientes con cirrosis hepática. Método: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo, transversal, con 95 pacientes en protocolo de trasplante hepático en el CIMEQ, en el período establecido, para lo cual se tuvo en cuenta la clasificación de gravedad de Child-Pugh. Resultados: Se investigaron 95 pacientes (53 mujeres [55,7%]), a los cuales se les realizó electrocardiograma, ecocardiograma, determinación de la presión arterial de oxígeno y su saturación por oximetría. Se usó el SPSS (20), con medidas de resumen para variables cualitativas (razones y porcentajes) y cuantitativas (media y desviación estándar). Los resultados muestran mayor compromiso de las variables estudiadas en relación con la mayor gravedad de la cirrosis hepática, evaluada por Child-Pugh, en relación con la onda S' (p=0,03), onda A (p=0,03), presión sistólica del tronco de la arteria pulmonar (p=0,004) y presión parcial de oxígeno arterial (p=0,004). Conclusiones: Al tener en cuenta dicha clasificación, se evidenció acercamiento progresivo a valores anormales de las variables ecocardiográficas para el análisis de la función diastólica, presiones pulmonares y del estado de la oxigenación arterial expresado por la PaO2, en los estadios más avanzados de la cirrosis hepática.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a cardiac dysfunction that is present in patients with liver cirrhosis, in the absence of other heart disease. Objectives: To ascertain electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings and arterial oxygenation state in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 95 liver transplant recipients at the CIMEQ over the established period. The Child-Pug severity classification was applied for this purpose. Results: We screened 95 patients (53 women [55.7%]) who underwent electrocardiography, echocardiography, and determination of blood oxygen pressure and oxygen saturation by oximetry. The SPSS (20), with summary measures for qualitative (ratios and percentages) and quantitative (mean and standard deviation) variables was used. Our results reveal greater compromise of the variables studied in correlation with a greater severity of liver cirrhosis, as assessed by Child-Pugh, in relation to S' wave (p=0.03), A wave (p=0.03), pulmonary artery trunk systolic pressure (p=0.004) and arterial oxygen partial pressure (p=0.004). Conclusions: Taking into account the Child-Pugh score, study showed a progressive approach to pathological values of echocardiographic variables for the analysis of diastolic function and pulmonary pressures, as well as oxygen content of arterial blood (PaO2), in the most advanced stages of liver cirrhosis.